I couldn't find a thread dedicated to DG Christmas gift ideas or advice, so I decided to create one.

I am looking for an overstable fairway driver for my brother. Forearm drives, approx. 80m controllable distance (170 Discmania S-line FD Jackal), almost 100m uncontrollable distance (150 Latitude 64 Opto Diamond). The disc needs to be more overstable than the 170 Discmania S-line FD Jackal currently in his bag (it's the most overstable disc he has at the moment) without requiring more power or more distance to throw controllably, as he mostly plays on courses which have mostly 70-80m Par 3 fairways. In other words, looking for a jackal with more fade at the end. Been thinking about 170 Innova Star Eagle-X. Do you have some alternative suggestions?

The FD has a lot more less power requirement than the Eagle X. FD is in top class for little power requirement yet flying far. Saints vary and at max weight Opto could possibly work if you find an overstable specimen so a high PLH. PD is fast but the least nose angle sensitive and easiest to power down fading disc. Unfortunately it has a high power requirement from the lesser glide and earlier harder fade. Which is assured and harder than with the FD. PD can be powered down well for even more fade. He has so little power that using a fairway driver requires a hard throw for him. So if he were to power down a faster driver he could throw at controllable power and get to 80 meters with more fade so perhaps that would be the way to go. FLX Surge has great grip in the winter.

Vibram Ascent is a FW with a hard fade and shorter less gliding flight and higher power requirement than the FD.

Flat shots need running on the center line of the tee and planting each step on the center line. Anhyzer needs running from rear right to front left with the plant step hitting the ground to the left of the line you're running on. Hyzer is the mirror of that.

JR wrote:The FD has a lot more less power requirement than the Eagle X. FD is in top class for little power requirement yet flying far. Saints vary and at max weight Opto could possibly work if you find an overstable specimen so a high PLH.

I believe I have found an Opto Saint as you described. Thanks for the tip!

However, thread update: after a home course remodeling, my brother is looking for a floating fairway driver disc (midrange should be fine D-wise, but my brother prefers driver rim over midrange rim using his forearm), preferably moderately overstable.

Blizzard Krait is way too fast, DX Dragon is way too inconsistent. Any great DGA or Lightning alternatives out there? Lightning No.2 Driver maybe?

keltik wrote:Floating in water is not really a desirable trait in a disc. not for me anyway.

All the blizzard stuff will be too fast. all other floating discs will be well too crappy.

The new course layout includes a wooded, narrow ~100m Par 3 hole with a really, really deep river flowing as the right-hand OB border. Since my brother is forehand-dominant, his fade is always to the direction of the river. He told me he has lost 2 discs within 1 week (based on the course layout, a fairly straight shot + some skipping to the right is enough to land in the drink), and that he would really like a floating disc for Christmas.

Placed an order for 173g Lightning #2 Driver. We'll see if that amounts to anything.

Floating discs can be lots of fun. It is fun watching the disc float in the middle of a lake for hours on end, waiving goodbye as the current carries it down the river. Even if his backhand sucks he might just want to use it on that hole. I haven't thrown a lightning disc in a long time but I used to like some of the molds. I got my first four aces with a #1 slice and used to like the #1 and #2 drivers. I remember the plastic being like soft DX so it breaks in really quick.

chainsmoker wrote:Floating discs can be lots of fun. It is fun watching the disc float in the middle of a lake for hours on end, waiving goodbye as the current carries it down the river. Even if his backhand sucks he might just want to use it on that hole.

Pielisjoki, located close to suvantosilta. Suvanto (Finnish) = no current (English). I know one guy who threw a floating disc into the river at that same spot, and cycled to the other side of the river (roughly 1.5km because there is some distance to get to the bridge) to fetch his disc from the opposite shore. His friends who stayed at watch literally pointed him in the right direction. Also, that person was throwing backhand...accidental anhyzer release

chainsmoker wrote:I haven't thrown a lightning disc in a long time but I used to like some of the molds. I got my first four aces with a #1 slice and used to like the #1 and #2 drivers. I remember the plastic being like soft DX so it breaks in really quick.

Feels more similar to Pro-D than DX, in my opinion. Will probably beat in as fast as Pro-D does as well. DX is a superior standard plastic compared to what the other companies produce.

I can't think of any mids that float. Or ones that FH well on top of that. Hydra is ok at shorter throws but it takes a big arm to get it far enough so it won't work either. It is a putter/mid hybrid.

Flat shots need running on the center line of the tee and planting each step on the center line. Anhyzer needs running from rear right to front left with the plant step hitting the ground to the left of the line you're running on. Hyzer is the mirror of that.

JR wrote:I can't think of any mids that float. Or ones that FH well on top of that. Hydra is ok at shorter throws but it takes a big arm to get it far enough so it won't work either. It is a putter/mid hybrid.

According to Lightning's own description, #3 Hyzer is "a midrange driver ... radically overstable ... floats in water". I tried to Google what the rim is like (round vs sharp edge), but did not find any pictures. Got no idea how well it can be thrown from forehand, or how long it takes for the Lightning standard plastic to lose its overstability, either.

Anyhow, #2 Driver has just arrived at my local post office. Will try it out during the weekend.

chainsmoker wrote:Floating discs can be lots of fun. It is fun watching the disc float in the middle of a lake for hours on end, waiving goodbye as the current carries it down the river. Even if his backhand sucks he might just want to use it on that hole.

Pielisjoki, located close to suvantosilta. Suvanto (Finnish) = no current (English). I know one guy who threw a floating disc into the river at that same spot, and cycled to the other side of the river (roughly 1.5km because there is some distance to get to the bridge) to fetch his disc from the opposite shore. His friends who stayed at watch literally pointed him in the right direction. Also, that person was throwing backhand...accidental anhyzer release

chainsmoker wrote:I haven't thrown a lightning disc in a long time but I used to like some of the molds. I got my first four aces with a #1 slice and used to like the #1 and #2 drivers. I remember the plastic being like soft DX so it breaks in really quick.

Feels more similar to Pro-D than DX, in my opinion. Will probably beat in as fast as Pro-D does as well. DX is a superior standard plastic compared to what the other companies produce.

He was lucky to get that disc out of the river, I actually saw a lightning disc yesterday and it did feel like pro D. I think a #2 driver has a sharp nose but has a very concave short wing, like a Scorpion but that might not help either.